The situation surrounding the "House of the Artist," located at 108 Chuy Avenue in Bishkek, is becoming increasingly tense. A recent decision by the city hall to annul the land use rights has raised serious concerns among representatives of the creative community.
As reported by the chairman of the Union of Artists of Kyrgyzstan, Jakshybek Junushev, according to the city hall's decree No. 52 dated February 23, 2026, the Union is losing its rights to the plot of land that they have been renting from the municipality since 1995. Currently, the issue of transferring the land from municipal ownership to state ownership is being considered. The building of the "House of the Artist" has been owned by artists since the 1950s.
Jakshybek Junushev expressed concerns about the potential loss of this object, which possesses significant historical and cultural value, in an interview with 24.kg.
We are ready to provide all necessary documents to refute the arguments of the municipal authorities and to outline the position of the creative community.
Jakshybek Junushev
According to him, the building was constructed in the 1950s and serves as an important cultural center associated with the names of renowned artists such as Semyon Chuykov, Gapar Aitieva, and Suimenkuла Chokmorov. Regular exhibitions are held here, and there are workshops for artists.
Jakshybek Junushev also noted that the Union of Artists rents the plot for a period of 49 years, and the organization itself has been in existence for over 90 years.
“We learned through social media about the city hall's intention to transfer the territory under the building to the management of the president's office, and we immediately began to respond,” he added.
In November 2025, representatives of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan came to the artists with questions about the ownership of the building and the documents.
Some artists were called in for separate interrogations.
“We provided all necessary documents. Later, representatives of the president's office came to us and offered three rooms as compensation. We refused, as this is not just a building, but an architectural monument where exhibitions are held,” noted Jakshybek Junushev.
The area of the land plot, along with the building and workshops, is about 11 hundredths of a hectare.
The Union of Artists expresses concern that the transfer of land without clear guarantees could lead to the demolition or repurposing of the object. Representatives of the creative community demand the cancellation of the city hall's decision, the exclusion of this issue from the agenda of the city council, and the holding of open public hearings.
Artists have also appealed to the authorities of the country with a request to preserve the "House of the Artist" as an important cultural object and a space for creativity.
